Blues? What blues? Families enjoy literacy and lessons to keep winter in check

Thursday

Mar 28, 2013 at 3:15 AM

SANFORD — Local families “Beat the Winter Blues” during the community’s annual literacy event at the St. Ignatius Parish hall on Riverside Avenue on Feb. 28.The free event kept its theme of “beating the winter blues” and featured some beach-related details, such as palm trees, flamingos, leis and monkeys. More than 200 people attended the popular occasion.Local schools and service providers, such as WIC, Head Start and Healthy Families, put on the event each year.

Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George and Goody and Broose D. Moose, the mascots of Goodall Hospital and the Sanford Mainers baseball team, respectively, made special appearances. Two reading therapy dogs, Gracie and Shadow, also were on hand to listen to children read.

Students and their families also enjoyed hula-hooping and making arts and crafts.

Representatives of the Sanford Schools’ Kids’ Club and Sanford Community Adult Education’s new art classes also gave families opportunities to make arts and crafts.

The following organizations provided lessons and activities for the event: Springvale Public Library; Sanford Community Adult Education’s “Families Read” Program; Head Start; The Parent Resource Center; Our Schools, Our Future; Healthy Maine Families; WIC; Caring Unlimited; Partners for a Healthy Community; St. Thomas School; The Early Childhood Program of Sanford Schools; and Sanford Public Schools.

The Sanford Knights of Columbus helped to sponsor the Portland Children’s Theater, which presented the play “Sneetches on Beaches,” by Dr. Seuss, three different times to accommodate participants. The Sanford High Police Cadets helped with face painting, greeting people, and dressing up in costumes.

All of the children who attended received a free book bag, a coloring book, a bookmark and a free book when they left.